Eleoteioal connection and signal foe eailwat caes



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. D. COLLIER &- J. K. P. MILLER. ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AND SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 462,794. Patente Nov. 10, 1891. r h: A V

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. D. COLLIER & J. K. P. MILLER. ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AND SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 462,794. Patented Nov. 10, 1891.

0. L, LEM- EMA/9H UNITED STATES PATENT ()EEIcE.

JAMES DALLAS COLLIER AND JAMES K. POLK MILLER, OF \VOODVILLE, TEXAS, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO JOHN II. KIRBY, OE SAME PLACE.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AND SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 462,794, dated November 10, 1891.

Application filed March 25, 1891. Serial No. 386,346. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: coupler in the center of the car, in which case Be it known that we, .IAMEs DALLAS COL- the mechanical difficulties as well as the dan- LIER and JAMEs K. POLK MILLER, citizens ger of short-circuiting would be great, or two of the United States, residing at Woodville, electric-wire couplers 011 either side of the car 55 in the county of Tyler and State of Texas, with the current passing through one and rehave invented certain new and useful Imturning via the other. In thelattercase there provem'ents in Electrical Connections and willbe necessary either a means of shifting the Signals for Railway-Cars; and we do hereby current or a double system of wires in each declare the following to be a full, clear, and car. 6c 10 exact description of the invention, such as In this application we will describe the use will enable others skilled in the art to which of two electric contact-making couplers, one it appertains to make and use the same. on either side of the draw-head of the car. Our invention relates to the application of These couplers are each connected to a main electricity to suitable electrically-operated conductor running through the train and by I 5 devices throughout a train, such as electribranching wires to one central series of wires cally-operated signals, electrically-controlled also running throughout the train. brakes and car-couplings, and other devices The source of electricity may be carried which may be operated or controlled by elecanywhere in the train, (preferably the main tricity; and it consists in suitably-controlled source of electricity should be located on the 20 and reversible electric circuits extending locomotive-tendeig) and there may be separate throughout the train, and in such other deauxiliary sources of electricity on each car vices as will be hereinafter described and for use when the locomotive is not attached claimed. to the train. v

Reference is had to the accompanying draw- IVe have shown the main source of elec- 2 5 ings, wherein the same parts are indicated by tricityat E on thetender and auxiliary sources the same letters. E E, &c., on the various cars. Connected to Figurel represents a plan view of the lower the poles ofthe source of electricity are two portions of a car, the floor of the car and varilargewires or mainsaand a,running throughous other parts being removed to better illusout the train and connected from car to car 8o 30 trate the operation of our invention. The secby the circuit-couplers B and C. In each car ondary wires are also represented as symwe also have a series of smaller wires a a metrically spread outin the center of the car. a, &c., all branching at the two ends of the Fig. 2 represents ahorizontal section through car and having the two branches connected the car-coupler and the two sections of our to symmetrical contact-strips 11 12 11 &c., c

5 electric couplers connected to each end of 0 0 850., on the circuit-couplers. These cirthe car. Fig. 3 represents an end view of onecuit-conplers consist of a male coupler C and half of our electric coupler. Figs. 4 and 5 repa female coupler B, which may be secured to resent two systems of electric connections in the body of the car in any way; but we prea train, being diagrammatic views of two sysfer to connect them to the draw-head F of the 4o tems adapted for use with the apparatus car-coupler by angleirons or brackets D and shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 represents a form of D. By this means the spring attached to the reversing-key adapted to be used with the base of the car-coupler co-operates with the systems shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a springs 011 the circuit-couplers to lessen the plan view of a circuit-testing device. effect of the vibrationsin the cars. The body 5 45 Although a number of broken circuits conof these circuit-couplers is of insulating manected to one single return-wire would orditerial, and the two faces in contact have a narily be sufticient, yet to make connections number of contact'strips b b b I), &c., c 0 adapted to the condition that either end of the c 0 &c., made of elastic metal, &c. each concar may be shifted next to the locomotive or nected to its proper wire. Moreover, the two 5o to the source of electricity we have found it parts of the circuit-coupler are kept in close necessary to employ either one electric-wire contact by means of a spiral spring G, at

' wedge shape of C, it will slide into and be centered by B. At each corner of the top of O we have four metallic contact-strips c c, &c., which press against the contact-strips 11 Z), &c., similar in other respects to b b 19 &c., both and 12 being connected each to a out the train.

corresponding wire add four circuits to our system.

In the center of either all the male couplers or of all the female couplers, as shown, we have a metallic plunger B, pressed out by a spiral spring at its base, and making contact with a plate we have connected to the large central wireof each group, and this connection forms the return-circuit for all the wires of the opposite group. Attached to the base of this plunger we have a contact-maker, which completes the circuit and sounds an alarm when any of the cars become uncoupled or break loose, as shown in our applications; Serial Nos. 380,150 and 381,858.

The two mains a and a lead from their respective poles of the sources of electricity to the centers of the two circuit-couplers, and are thus connected from car to car through- The other wires are each well insulated and in one series A inclosed in a flexible insulating-pipe H, preferably rubber. These wires branch at the two ends of the car into symmetrical divisions A and A each connected to symmetrical contact-pieces on their respective circuit-couplers.

In order to obtain good electrical connection between the Wires a a &c., and their branches, the said wires a a &c., may be made of two wires twisted together beforeinsulation and then having the two wires thus twisted together separated near the end of the car and connected to appropriate contactstrips on their respective circuitcouplers. These wires are not directly connected to any of the sources of electricity, but are so arranged that they can individually be made to complete the circuit through the mains a and a. This is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, where we have represented, inaddition to the mains, a series of threecentral signalwvires, branching at their ends to connect with both circuit-couplers. In Fig. 4 we have also shownthe connections in three cars, the central car being turned end for end.

In Fig. 4, a a and a represent three of anydesired number of wires running throughout the train and connected from car to car by symmetrically-arranged contact-pieces on the various circuit-couplers. These wires are not directly connected to any of the sources of electricity, but are provided with suitable" circuit-closers (shown as push-buttons W, W, and It) to close a circuit between the mains e have shown it as attachedv a and a. In 'each of these circuits I inclose some electric signal (an alarm-bell or electric indicator, &c.,) m m 972 &c., so that the current coming from 64 passes through the circuit-closer (say to the wire a and from this, passing through the signal 111, and wire w, flows along a' back to the opposite pole of the source of electricity.

It will be seen that were there one continuous main on one side of the train and a continuous return-main on the other side of the train, with circuit closers, signals, &c., all similarly arranged, as in cars I and III, Fig. 4, that a current passed through any one button, as 10 would course along the wire a and make the signal m in each car; but if one or more of the cars should get shifted end for end, as in car II, Fig. 4, then some reversing device will be necessary, for in car II, if connection is made, as shown in dotted lines at a and e then when k in car I is closed the signal m in car I would be made; but the signals in the other cars being connected to the same pole of the battery as the wire a would feel no current, and hence would be silent; but by introducing reversing-keys at N with connections, as shown, closing any circuit in any one car, corresponding signals in each car throughout the train would be made.

In Fig. 5, where the reversing-key shown in Fig. 6 is used, instead of reversing the current through the mains a and CL the mains are continuous from car to car, while the current isv reversed in the branch wires 20 and 10 connected to the system of circuit-closers and the system of signals, respectively. In order to determine whether the reversing-key is in the proper position, we provide a testkey 15, connected to a galvanometer t. This galvanometer is shown enlarged in Fig. 8. WVhen the connections are properly made, upon pressingt the needle 25 will be deflected to the right and the O. K. marked at the side of the galvanometer will show the brakeman that the connections are all right. hen the connections are not properly made, upon pressing t the needle will be deflected to the left and the keyN should be shifted. The key 25 will also give information that the various parts of the main circuits arein electrical connection. This key and a number of signals may all be placed on a small indicator-board. After coupling on each new car the circuit in the car should be tested, and once the connections are properly made they will require no further attention.

It will readily be seen that by our system signals may be made either by indicator, bell, telegraph, or telephone, or that brakes or couplings or other electrically-controlled devices may be operated.

Fig. 1 shows a system of brakes and part of a coupling system adapted to be used with our system of connections. Thus we may apply brakes by a connection similar to that shown with the signal-bell, the electricity being made to flow through a solenoid connected to a toggle-joint and having its armature also connected to a toggle-joint, the said toggle-joints being connected to the ends of the brake-beams and pressing the brakeshoes against; the carwheels when the armature is drawn to the solenoid, as when a current is passing therethrough. This particular form of brake mechanism is fully described and is claimed in our application, Serial No. 380,150. We may also couple and uncouple any car in the train by closing a circuit and making a similar solenoid and its armature raise or release a coupling-link by means of a rock-shaft and a suitable system of levers connected to the said armature and put into operation by passing a current through the said solenoid. The form of electrically-operated device for accomplishing this coupling or uncoupling is fully described and is claimed in our application, Serial No. 381,858. W'e may also use our system of conductors with any other electrically -operated device to which it may be adapted; also, it is evident that the number of wires and the combinations of those wires may be increased indefinitely and the corresponding number of signals or other uses to which the electric fluid may be put may be similarly increased.

In applying brakes it would be advisable to get the combined force of all the sources of electricityin the train, which could readily be done by a current closing all the open switches 0 O 850., and applying the electricity of the storage-batteries E E 850., to the brake-circuit in addition to the current from the main source E.

In signaling it would be advisable to use only a part of the main current or to use a storage-cell or a galvanic battery in any part of the train. It will also be seen, when part of the train becomes detached from the main source of electricity, that by closing 0 any one car may at once furnish the source of electricity for signaling purposes, or by closing all the brakes O 0 &c., as already suggested, that the combined effect of all the auxiliary batteries on -the train may be obtained. One or all of these brakes may be closed by the automatic plunger described in our applications filed February 4, 1891, and February 18, 1891, Serial Nos. 380,150 and 381,858, or in a variety of ways.

It will be obvious that many modifications would readily suggest themselves to any one skilled in the art, which could be used without departing from the spirit of our invention.

\Vhat we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a railway-train, the combination, with a source or sources of electricity, of two main wires connected to opposite poles of the source of electricityleading throughout the train and electrically connected from car to car by circuit-couplers on either side of the draw-head, a series of secondary wires branching at either end of the car and symmetrically connected a source or sources of electricity, of two main.

wires connected to opposite poles of the source of electricity leading throughout the train and electrically connected from car to car by circuit-couplers on either side of the drawhead, a series of secondary wires branching at either end of the car and symmetrically connected from car to car by the said circuitcouplers, each of said wires being connected to one of the mains and to a device operating by electricity, a series of circuit-closers attached to the opposite main and capable of connecting the secondary wires therewith, and a reversing-keyin each car for reversing the current in said car, substantially as described.

3. In a railwaytrain, the combination, with a source or sources of electricity, of two main wires connected to opposite poles, of the source of electricity leading throughout the train and electrically connected from car to car by circuit-couplers on either side of the draw-head, a series of secondary wires branching at either end of the car and symmetrically connected from car to car by the said circuit-couplers, each of said wires being connected to one of the mains and to a device operating by electricity, a series of circuit-closers attached to the opposite main and capable of connecting the secondary wires therewith, and a reversing-key in each car located in a secondary wire for reversing the current in the said secondary wires in said car, substantially as described.

4. In a railway-train, the combination, with two mains electrically connected throughout the train, of a wire a also electrically connected throughout the train, the electricallyoperated device m connected to the said wire a and to one main, the circuit-closer k connect-ed to the said wire a and to the opposite main, and a reversing-key N for reversing the connections when the cars are shifted end for end, substantially as described.

5. In a railway-train, the combination, with two mains electrically connected throughout the train, of the wire a also electrically connected throughout the train, the electricallyoperated device m connected to the said wire a and to one main, the circuit-closer 76*, connected to the said wire a and to the opposite main, a reversing-key N for reversing the connections when the cars are shifted end for end, and a test-keyt and galvanometer 25, substantially as described.

6. In a railway-train, the combination, with a source of electricity in each car, of two mains extending through the train and suitable circuitclosers connecting said mains with one or all of the said sources of electricity, a series of secondary wires a a 04 &c., electrically connected from car to car throughout the train, the electrically-operated 5 devices m m m in each car connected to the said secondary wires and to one main, the circuit-closers A? 10 70 in each car connected to the said'seco'ndary wires, respectively, and to the opposite main, and a reversing-key in each to car for reversing the circuit through the said circuit-closers and electrically-operated de vices when the car is shifted end for end, sub- "stantially as described.

7. I11 a system of signals for railway-trains,

15 the combination, with a source of electricity carried by or connected to the train, of two mains a and a, electrically connected throughthe car is shifted end for end, substantially as described. i

In'testixnony whereof we affiX our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES DALLAS COLLIER. YJAMES K. POLK MILLER. Witnesses:

J AS. L. KIRBY, E. G. GEIsENDoRFF. 

